A Hillsborough County Superior Court grand jury, however, indicted Salimullah last week on a charge of attempted murder, along with first- and second-degree assault indictments.

Using a Hindi language interpreter, Salimullah’s wife, Shamshidah Sultan, told police that on Aug. 12 she approached her husband and asked for a divorce. According to a police affidavit written by Detective Peter Urban of the Nashua Police Department, Salimullah allegedly told his wife: “We will die together. I will not allow you to get a divorce.”

After going to sleep that night, Sultan was abruptly woken around 3 a.m. with Salimullah allegedly above her and his hand over her mouth. According to court documents, he allegedly had a 12-inch kitchen knife on her neck, which he was pushing down against her throat, causing a laceration.

Sultan also suffered a cut to her left hand while trying to grab the knife away from her husband of six years, the affidavit says. As she ran into her sister’s room for help, she saw Salimullah holding the knife to his stomach.

Occupants of the home eventually called police, and when officers arrived they found Sultan injured in the neck and hand, and Salimullah lying on the bedroom floor bleeding from a knife wound to his stomach.

The woman’s neck wound required about 20 stitches to close, according to court records, which indicate the cut was near her carotid artery and jugular vein. She was treated and released from St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, and her husband was taken to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center and eventually discharged before his arrest.

If convicted of attempted murder, Salimullah could face up to life in prison. If convicted of first- or second-degree assault, Salimullah could face up to 15 years in prison, according to police.

He is being held on $250,000 cash bail. Attorney Stephen Rosecan is planning to defend him, according to court documents.During police questioning, Salimullah admitted to putting the knife to his wife’s throat with the intention of killing her and then killing himself, says the affidavit.“He advised this was because he did not want a divorce and did not want his wife to be with anyone else,” says court records.khoughton@newstote.com